PPA Today: Copyright: October 2015 Archives

Copyright: October 2015 Archives

Professional photographers consistently rank copyright issues as one of their top business-related concerns. For this reason, PPA puts copyright issues at the top of our list of advocacy efforts. This November, we are taking our lobbying efforts a step further.

On November 3, in conjunction with other visual arts associations, PPA is hosting a briefing for the Creative Rights Caucus. The Creative Rights Caucus is bipartisan group dedicated to protecting the rights of content creators. It has a similar mission on the Hill as PPA does, and that's teaching lawmakers and the public that the vast majority of creators in our country are hard-working, everyday Americans.

Often, the conversation about copyright centers around celebrity, Hollywood creators, and we aim - through this briefing and our everyday advocacy efforts in D.C.- to spread the message that this is just not the reality of the creative community in the United States. PPA has worked closely with the offices of the Caucus' co-chairs, Congresswoman Judy Chu and Congressman Doug Collins, to plan and organize the November 3 event.

The briefing titled, Visual Artists in America: the Untold Story of Copyright provides the opportunity to present to key lawmakers copyright challenges unique to visual artists. Much of this conversation will focus on the challenges of being a high-volume creator (like professional photographers) and of running a small business that relies on copyright protection to survive (also like professional photographers!). Among those invited to the event will be members of the Creative Rights Caucus, members and staff of the House Judiciary Committee (this is the committee which oversees all Intellectual Property legislation on the House side), members and staff of the Small Business Committee, the leadership of the U.S. Copyright Office, and other important copyright stakeholders.

This briefing gives policy makers a unique opportunity to hear about the issues directly from visual artists. The panel discussion will be hosted by PPA CEO David Trust. Five visual artists will be representing distinct niches of the visual arts including portrait photography, wedding photography, commercial photography, illustration, and graphic design. These distinguished panelists are: Denis Reggie, John Schmelzer, Lisa Shaftel, Mary Fisk-Taylor, M.Photog.Cr., CPP, ABI, API, and Michael Grecco.

We expect this event to make a profound impact on key law-makers and plan to take advantage of that by also meeting with key Congressional offices in the days that follow while on Capitol Hill. PPA will continue to advocate for the modernization of the U.S. Copyright Office, improvements to the copyright registration process, and most importantly adding a small claims option for copyright enforcement.

Be sure to stay tuned right here on PPA's blog for coverage of this event and... Be More Protected!

Lindsey Forson is PPA's Copyright & Government Affairs Coordinator. She works with members on a daily basis addressing copyright questions and works closely with our CEO to advocate for professional photographers on Capitol Hill and to keep members informed on the issues that affect their businesses. She's new to Atlanta and spends most of her free time exploring the city (restaurants, markets, parks); spends three nights a week playing soccer and is a huge Auburn fan.